From Thursday through Sunday, our group visited Cachoeira, a historical town in the area of Bahia known as Reconcava, because of the concave shape it makes with the ocean. We visited the lovely Igreja do Boa Morte (Church of the Good Death…which appealed to me because of my love of Day of the Dead themed things) and took a boat ride along the river in two lovely pantoons with two lovely and informed guides, who also took us to an abandoned home used by fishers to cook and divert themselves (i.e. booze). We also visited a bee farm, a milk farm, and community building where they make tapioca flour and beiju. Conforming with the stereotype of rural hospitality, we were offered tamarinds from trees (doesn’t matter if it’s their tree or not, they’ll offer it) and roasted cashews as we walked through the village.



We were allowed to observe for a few hours at a family health clinic as people came in to catch up on their vaccine requirements to meet the obligations of the Bolsa Familia Program (an incentive program developed under Lula to give stipends to rural families for vaccinating and educating their children. It’s similar to Progresa y Oportunidades in México) or report a tooth ache. Each family (this community has some 300 households) has a number, and a file folder at the family health center. Nurses keep track of each family member’s health in this file, and send the paperwork to the secretary of health monthly so they secretary can allocate funds and resources appropriately (eg. This community needs more medicine for parasites, but not anti-retro drugs). Everything is state-provided, from the medicine in the basic pharmacy at the health center to the staplers the nurses use for reports. What a fascinating thing to see universal health care at work. The system is 20 years old, so apparently at first there was little except for glitches and kinks, but now it functions more or less smoothly, and, despite continued inequality in access, basic health care for all is a reality.

Twins, at least in Candomblé are allowed to do virtually anything they want. Last night we attended another service at our third terreiro where 2 twins, (middle-aged) not only threw candy at us, but also slapped children on the wrist, pouted, and threw food at other adult’s faces. It’s apparently normal for twins to eat first or for them to laugh at non-appropriate times (for example, when people are possessed by an orixa and the normal code of behavior is to be fairly serious). Yesterday, exemptions for twins were especially observed because it was a holiday (always a holiday here) where twins are supposed to “be children”. (Note, they’re not “acting like children”, they “are children”, and don’t you say otherwise!)

These are a few of my favorite things

1. Women are empowered in the Afro-Brazilian religion of Candomble. There have been more mae de santos (female caretakers of the terreiros, or shrines, for the Orixa dieties) than pae de santos (male caretaker/priests)in Bahia. The hierarchy also changes when people enter through the doors of the place of worship. We were told several times during our visit to a shrine that "it doesn´t matter if you´re a doctor (medico) or a lawyer (advogado) or a street vendor. When you enter the temple, you´re stripped of that outside identity." The new hierarchy, however, is very visible. For example, one lady sat on the floor for the entire service because she has yet to complete her obligation (kind of like a confirmation) of 6 years. When she completes this rite of passage, she earns the right to a chair. When we asked about this, the mae de santo responded fairly humorously and not really defensively, "In her own home, she can sit in as many chairs as she wants." Our academic director has also done some research on how people suffering from depression respond very well to being a part of a Candomble community because they are allowed to assume a new identity within the walls of the terreiro. They find self-respect and worth and are often able to transfer this gusto for life to their "outside" reality.

2. Candy is very easy to find on the street. However, it´s often more expensive than my lunch, so I´m cutting down a little on the sugar and raising my salt intake. (Why would I pay R$3.50 for a snickers when I could get a whole plate of enchiladas for the same price?)

3.Omulu, one of the Orixa dieties of Candomble, is always depicted with reeds covering his face. For some reason, it´s pleasing to my eye. Here he looks like a hairy hershey´s kiss.



4. I´m learning to like the rain. Today I found a book in the trash to use for an umbrella. Now, I think I´ll use it to make borders for my scrapbook.

Ruminations, observations, policy recommendations and commentary on a curious lack of dysfunctional familial relations

I was once tired of people asking me how I could possibly study at Point Loma with that “magnificent view”. I must admit, I’m having a hard time here:



The workers at McDonalds try to correct my pronunciation of “McFlurry” and “Vanilla” when I order ice cream. Then, they slide across the counter an un-flurried McFlurry which I proceed to flurry myself.

Why is it that when you’re learning a new language, you pick up on more than when you speak it fluently? I’m already missing the first week when I picked up a lot more on tone and grammar nuances. Now, I’m distracted by the actual meaning of words.

A law should be passed to sell yogurt over a certain weight in bags rather than containers.

Americans should incorporate into our language expressions that simply make more sense. It’s the idea that sometimes other languages convey an idea better.
“Make a party”
“Make a test”
“Repeat a good experience”
“His beloved”(as opposed to “his girlfriend”)

Let’s also bring back “big words” that we have in English but use less frequently than their less poetic synonyms, even as the equivalent in Spanish or Portuguese (etc.) is used more normally.
Examples: The verb ‘to detest’, an inundation, fidelity, coquette, conjugal

Why doesn’t Portuguese have the present perfect tense? ☹

Children universally like to wave at planes.

I actually like chicken intestines (or, I seriously misunderstood the explanation of the curious plate in front of me)



I’m dying to vote in the upcoming election because they’re going to employ thumbprint recognition technology.

Bahians are really gracious about explaining customs and traditions to my group of Americanas (though, admittedly, it’s one of the most curious and respectful groups I’ve ever been a part of) but I still feel like my face says, “I’ve-lost-my-culture-can-I-borrow-yours?” a lot of the time.

And, on familial relations: At least in my family so far, there has been a suspicious lack of power plays and passive aggressive behavior. (Disclaimer: this is not to contrast my Brazilian family with my American one) Dirty laundry is sure to be aired during my over two-month stay here, but so far I’m impressed with the “say what you mean” rule and the intimate “I’m-going-to-stand-here-and-watch-you-make-beans-because-I-like-your-company” mentality. Also, I like that when the members of the family (widely defined, including girlfriends, boyfriends, cousins and aunts) have nothing to say to me, they sort of sing my name (pronounced Ha-ke-o) when they pass by, sometimes touching my shoulder, as if saying “not-sure-what-to-say-but-I-want-you-to-know-it’s-ok-you’re-in-my-house-and –I-even-sort-of-like-you”)

On Sunday I moved into my host family`s house in Nazare, a neighborhood (um bairro, like a barrio in Spanish)in Salvador. It's the closest neighborhood to where I have my morning Portuguese classes and my afternoon lectures (which are given in Portuguese by local health professionals, activists, politicians, etc. and then translated for us into English). I walk to class with the two girls who lives closest to my house, and generally people address us in English or Spanish. So far I´ve most often had people guess I was a Spaniard.



On Monday I attended a birthday party for a neighbor´s neice. Here, it is somewhat common to celebrate a baby´s birthday every month until age one. This particular Brazilian beauty is now 7 months. The coconut-chocolate cake was quite spectacular.

Tuesday was Brazilian Independence. We watched the parade (and my highlight was getting to hold up a little girl named Leticia so she could see. She was heavy, though). After the parade we went the beach with "quasi todo o mundo"--or practically everyone in Bahia, though I did see a couple of token Germans. I bought a coconut (they say one should drink at least a glass of cocunt water a day for ones health) and watched the waves from a grassy spot by the lighthouse (Farol).

Yesterday was my host brother´s girlfriend´s 23rd birthday. I was chastized a few times for speaking too much english (but, hey, everyone here wants to practice their english just as much as I want to practice o meu portugues!) and pinched and squeezed by relatives. I was also the photo-taker, which made me feel like a real family member. I´m also now finally permitted to do dishes, which makes me feel more at home and less of a guest. My host mother´s closest friend, Carmosina, and I washed the party glasses last night while singing Beyonce...apparently Brazil loved her when she came here on tour) My main success within the family is that I now have all members collecting political campaign posters (the election is nearing for several positions, among them pesident, diputados federal and state representatives) and now possess an enviable collection of smiling (mostly white) faces (weird...Salvador is 80% Afro-Brazilian. Hm.)







Tonight, Friday, we will most likely go to a Capoeira class (a marital arts/dance form from slavery days) and maybe a samba club.

Como chego a.....?

The program I'm studying with is so... so... thorough. They program coordinators have provided some really awesome opportunities for us. Last night, for example, we learned samba and Afro-Brazilian (Candomblé inspired) dances from a two-piece band (who let us play the drums afterward and barely laughed, which was kind) and a really lovely dance teacher. Tonight we went to the Balet Folklórico and I'm not sure that humans were on stage because the things they did were things I would expect of deities...which they were at times impersonating.

Today two friends and I went to O Mercado Modelo as part of an assignment to observe and interview Brazilians. I met a Rocky (pronounce: "Hocky"), Ari, and Diego (men), Tripa (dog) and somehow made myself understood with half a dozen other nameless-to-me vendors who I interviewed, bantered with or just tried expressions out on. It was a fairly perfect day and I would like to say, for the record, that Salvador has really clean busses, at least one female candidate for diputado federal and cool pay phones.

I'm sort of in disbelief about how good people have been to us here. It's supposed to be the happiest place in Brazil, so maybe that's part of the reason, eh?

First off, a quote from a new friend, Molly:

"Rachel, I think dressing like a mom might be a good way not to become one." Jaja/haha/or as they say here, "rsrsrsrs"

Now, a quote from today's lectures on Brazil: diseases, bacteria, dancing and beijos

"Brazil is a risky country. But it's a delicious country." We also watched this video which so far exemplifies the "live in the moment" mentality I've observed here: Wear Sunscreen

And, finally, another picture of delicious food:

A quick pic from my new location: I call this piece "I'm-in-a-new-place-and-I-love-it-already-very-very-much-and-won't-want-to-leave-I'm-sure"

On the plane ride from Charlotte to Rio, I learned the term "beleza" (cool) from my seat-buddy. By the end of my first day in Salvador, I had learned that you can respond to "todo bem?" with "todo bom." (Is everything going well? Yes, everything is good.) Today I learned a bit more in my first Portuguese class: when something is really tasty you say "Tá uma delícia" while tugging at your ear. You tell ME why. So I feel like I'm gradually entering into the cold pool. Saturday I get placed with my host family, so that will be like diving in, fully submerging, and making a splash. Considering my Portuguese spills over the edges, soaking my ego every time I open my mouth, this might be less of a metaphoric-stretch than you think.

We have been staying on the outskirts of the city for the last two days but today we saw a section of the city called "Pelourinho". Pelourinho sells good ice cream. I tried cajá. Pretty much every flavor on the menu was defined in English as a "Brazilian tropical fruit" so I ordered almost as blindly as I would have sans-translation. Salvador has a lot of hair-braiding stands in the tourist section. Salvador plays hosts to lots of school field trips. Salvador has narrow cobblestone streets, a lot of churches and plenty of plazas. It's all just perfect perfect perfect from my perspective. Eu gosto muito da esta cidade.

Indulge me in just one complaint. It's the only one I have. Honestly.

I've been bitten! Now, if I liked mosquitos the way they like me, it wouldn't be a problem. But, you see, I don't, and the little "passionate kisses" they've left on my fingers, ankles, wrists and cheek are just a sign of desperation. So let me say it now: your love will NOT be requited. Leave me alone. Jesucristo.